The Republic of Ireland Under-21s have punched their ticket to the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship play-offs in unforgettable fashion, securing a stellar 3-1 victory over England at a sold-out Turner’s Cross in Cork.

Coming into the match, Jim Crawford’s squad faced a high-stakes scenario: they needed to match or better Slovakia’s result away against Andorra to advance. While Slovakia ultimately claimed a late 2-1 win, the Boys in Green preferred to take matters into their own hands, snapping a historical winless streak against their age-grade rivals with a fearless, high-energy performance.

Lonergan and McManus Lead the Charge

Lee Carsley’s Young Lions arrived on Leeside having already wrapped up automatic qualification following a scoreless draw against Slovakia last week. Despite their formidable, star-studded lineup—and an early opener from Tyler Dibling—England’s previously unbeaten Group D record quickly unraveled.

Ireland responded with immense resilience. Waterford striker Tommy Lonergan and Conor McManus both found the back of the net to overturn the early deficit and put the hosts ahead. Lonergan, currently enjoying stellar form as the League of Ireland Premier Division top scorer, sealed the historic result shortly after the hour mark. Ramping up the crowd’s ecstasy, he rifled home his fourth goal in just three games to extend Ireland’s lead to 3-1.

Looking Ahead to the Play-Offs

With the impressive scalp secured, the Republic of Ireland U21s now turn their attention to Friday’s upcoming play-off draw. The Boys in Green will join a competitive pot featuring:

  • Greece
  • Finland
  • Denmark
  • Turkey
  • Netherlands
  • Czechia
  • Iceland

A tense two-legged clash now stands between Jim Crawford’s side and a place at next year’s prestigious tournament finals in Albania and Serbia. Based on their performance under the Friday-night-style lights in Cork, this Irish side is more than ready for the challenge.

Match Lineups

Republic of Ireland: Noah Jauny; Oisin Gallagher, Sean Grehan (c), Alex Murphy; Cathal McCarthy, Rory Finneran, Jacob Deveney, Conor McManus (Darius Lipsiuc 64); Jamie Mullins (Michael Noonan 82), Trent Kone-Doherty (Romeo Akachukwu 72); Tommy Lonergan (Grady McDonnell 82)

England: Tommy Setford; Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Stephen Mfuni, Max Alleyne, Amario Cozier-Duberry (Tyrique George 61); Joshua King, Sydie Peck (William Lankshear 68), Archie Grey (c), Tyler Dibling (Harrisson Armstrong 61), Divin Mubama, Ethan Mwaneri (Divine Mukasa 46)

Referee: Allesandro Dudic (Switzerland)


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com



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